Plattegrond van Enkhuizen 1652

This is an anonymous, undated map of Enkhuizen made using engraving. The dominant symbols are heraldic emblems of power—lions and coats of arms—symbols that speak to authority and civic pride. But it is the city itself that is the most striking symbol. Consider the city’s protective walls: defensive structures reminiscent of ancient fortifications, echoing the walls of Troy or Thebes. These walls, while serving a practical function, also embody the psychological need for security. The subconscious desire to protect against chaos is deeply embedded in the collective psyche, a human desire for order. We see this impulse reflected in the city's architecture. The city's shape, an ordered circle, represents safety and enclosure. This same shape reappears across cultures, from Roman camps to Renaissance ideal cities, each instance a cultural echo of a primal desire for a protected space. The city becomes a stage for the human drama, continually reshaped, repurposed, and re-imagined. This map is not just a guide, but a memory of a place and the enduring human quest for shelter and community.